Manually removable crown cap



Jan- 21 P. AMATO ETAL 3,118,556

MANUALLY REMOVABLE CROWN CAP Filed Aug. '1, 1959 VIII/mu PETER MATo FREDER A.WARDER BY SELBY ER VAQQM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,118,556 MANUALLY REMQVABLE CROWN CAP Peter Amati), 499 Hillside Ave, New Hyde Park, N.Y.,

and Frederick A. Warder, 14 Gariiclr Ave, Dunvegan Extension, and Selby P. Warden, 33 St. John Read,

Hurlyvale, both of Edenvale, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa Filed Aug. 7, 1959, Scr. No. 832,373 3 Claims. (Cl. 215-46) This invention relates to a crown cap for containers such as bottles, jars, and the like. More particularly the mventiou relates to a crown cap incorporating novel structure whereby the cap can easily be removed from the container by the use of ones hands alone.

It has been previously proposed to provide crown caps which can be removed by purely manual operations from the containers such as bottles to which they are attached. Such caps, however, have not been successful for a number of reasons. A number of them have had such structures and modes of operation that they had unsymmetrical configurations, which were markedly different from that of conventional crown bottle caps. Consequently such caps not only were expensive to make, but could not be applied to bottles and the like by conventional container closure applying equipment. A number of prior caps of this type presented upper surfaces from which tabs, handles, and the like protruded, requiring the careful handling of bottles equipped with such caps if the capremoving means thereon were not to become inoperative by being mashed down against the cap proper. For these and other reasons, such as the difliculty of removing such caps, purely manually removable crown caps have failed to be used to any appreciable extent.

The present invention has among its objects the provision of a crown cap which is easily and safely manually removable from the container to which it is sealingly athxed.

Another object of the invention of a crown cap of the type indicated which may be easily and economically made by simply modified existing equipment.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an easily manually removable crown cap which can be applied to containers by conventional capping equipment, and which require no especial care in their feeding and application to containers.

Still further objects or" the invention reside in the provision of a manually removable crown cap which retains the products of the container securely sealed under pressure until the cap is deliberately removed, in which the cap-removing means is spaced from the upper surface of the cap, whereby loads or blows applied to the top of the capped container do not injure the cap-removing means, and in which the cap after removal may be subsequently reapplied to the container in order substantially to seal the remaining contents thereof.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of Serial Number 761,976, now abandoned.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the neck portion of a bottle having a cap made in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of crown cap of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in plan of the cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section through the first il- "ice lustrative embodiment of cap, the section being taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a View in side elevation of the first embodiment of crown cap, the view being taken from the point of view of line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through a bottle neck and a first embodiment of cap applied thereto, the view depicting successive operations in the removal of a tab or tear panel from the skirt of the cap preparatory to the removal of the cap from the bottle;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the first illustrative embodiment of crown cap after a sector-shaped portion thereof has been bent up, immediately before the removal of the cap from the bottle;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the reapplied cap of FIG. 6, after it has been bent back to approximately its original shape and again mounted on the bottle;

FIG. 8 is a view in plan of a second illustrative embodiment of manually removable crown cap in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 9 is a view in plan of a third illustrative embodiment of manually removable crown cap in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a view in plan of a fourth illustrative em bodiment of manually removable crown cap in accordance with the invention.

It will be seen from the above that there are illustrated herein four embodiments of crown caps in accordance with the invention: 1) FIGS. 1-7, inclusive; (2) FIG. 8; (3) FIG. 9; and (4) FIG. 10. Although each of the caps shown is adapted for application to a container such as a bottle, it is to be expressly understood that crown caps in accordance with the invention may be employed to advantage on jars, cans, and containers generally, the cap raving a shape such that it telescopes over and effects a seal with a neck or upstanding portion which surrounds an opening in the container.

Turning now to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. l7, inclusive, a crown cap 11 which is adapted to be sealingly applied to the neck 10 of a bottle. The cap 11 has a body made of sheet metal, and has a generally plane top portion 12 and 21 depending flange or skirt 14. Skirt 14 has conventional formations thereon, to be explained, whereby the cap may be securely attached to the neck of the bottle by engagement with the outer annular head 15 at the upper end of bottle neck 10. Such head, as shown, is located somewhat above a lower, larger annular enlargement '16 on the neck of the bottle.

The skirt 14 of the cap has an upper, generally vertical sidewall portion 17, and, before application of the cap to a bottle, a lower, outwardly flared, generally frusto-coniical edge portion 3.9. The portions 17 and 19 are indented or corrugated at regularly angularly spaced zones 20 (21 such zones being shown), zones 20 being separated by outwardly extending folds or ribs 21. The thus described configuration of the cap 11 provides zones 22, at the intersection of the upper and lower zones of skirt 14 which, when the cap is applied to the bottle, and the lower portion 19 of skint 14 is bent inwardly to lie more closely to the vertical, strongly engage the bottle neck beneath bead 15, thereby to secure the cap to the bottle. The cap 11 is provided with a disc-shaped insert 24 of somewhat resiliently yieldable material such as cork, and in the embodiment shown with a central inner liner of spot 25 made of impervious foil, plastic, or the like. As shown in FIG. 5, spot 25 overlies the upper edge or lip 26 of the container neck, and by reason of the resilient pressure maintained thereon by cap 11 and insert 24, maintains the contents of the container securely sealed. The structure of the cap so far described is common to all four illustrative embodiments thereof, and is conventional in the art.

The cap 11 has two similar angularly spaced tabs or tear strips 29 formed by inverted U-shaped slits or cuts 27 through the skirt 14 thereof. The top or eight of each slit 27 lies at a height which is at most level with the upper surface of top 12 of the cap, and preferably lies at least slightly below the upper surface of top 12. When the cap 11 has been applied to the neck 1% of a bottle, the upper night portion of tab 29 lies spaced outwardly of the body of the skirt by a narrow gap 30 which is wide enough to receive the finger or thumb nail of the user, as shown in FIG. 5. The lower ends of cut 27 lie :1 short distance inwardly or above the lower edge of skirt 14, thereby leaving uninterrupted edge portions 31 on the skirt whereby the skirt retains a substantial part of its hoop strength until tie tabs 29 have been removed.

In the cap 11 shown, each of cuts 27 overlies and embraces one indentation 20, the bight of the cut lying above the indentation, and the legs of the cuts lying centrally downwardly along the respective ribs bordering the indentations. The resulting construction yields a tab 29 which is stiffened by its indentation and portions of ribs, whereby the tab does not bend appreciably except at its lower edge portions 31 as it is bent downwardly from its uppermost position, as shown in FIG. 5.

The two tabs 29 in the embodiment shown are spaced by 6 uncut intervening indentations 21), whereby the tabs are separated by an angle of 120 about the periphery of the skirt 14. A practical working range of the spacing of tabs 29 in the illustrative first embodiment is from to 8 uncut indentations between the tabs 29.

Cap 11 is provided in its top portion 12 with two cuts 32 which extend inwardly from the bight of the respective cuts 27. In the embodiment shown, cuts 32 lie somewhat outwardly of the radii from the central portions of tabs 29, whereby to provide a somewhat longer bend line 35 between the inner ends of cuts 32 than would be provided by radial cuts. An angle of 5 between cuts 32 and the radii has proved to be satisfactory.

The cuts 27 and 32 may be formed in cap 11 at the time of the formation of the cap body from sheet metal by drawing and bending operations, or they may be subsequently made in cap bodies formed in the conventional manner. When the cap 11 shown in FIG. 4 is applied to a bottle, the lower outer edge portion 19 of skirt 14 of the cap is straightened downwardly somewhat. Not only does this cause portions 22 of the cap to engage beneath bead of the bottle neck, but it also causes tabs 29 to be bent slightly outwardly from the body of skirt 14 to provide space 3%) between them.

When it is desired to remove cap 11 from the bottle to which it is afflxed, the user bends each of tabs 2? downwardly in the manner depicted in FIG. 5. This causes portions 31 by which tab 29 is attached to the flange 14 to be twisted and bent and thus fractured, so that the tab is broken away from the flange, as shown at 29'. Upon the removal of both tabs, the truncated sector portion 34 can be bent up from the lip of the bottle neck, after which the cap can be readily removed from the bottle. All of these operations may be readily and safely carried out with ones hands alone.

if it is desired to recap the bottle, and to provide a substantial seal therefor, the removed cap may be bent back into substantially its original shape, as shown at 11' in FIG. 7, and reapplied to the bottle. The metal body of the cap retains appreciable spring at bend line 35 for the portions 22 on the flange of the cap efliciently to grip the head 15 on the neck of the bottle.

In FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 there are depicted three modifications of the cap of the invention, such modified caps being designated, respectively, 36, 4t and 46. The constructions of the caps of FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 are the same as that of FIGS. 1-7, inclusive, except for the number and/or angular spacing of the removable tabs 29, and for the character of the cut or score lines in the top 12 of the cap, when such lines are used.

In the construction of FIG. 8, three angularly spaced tabs 29 are used, there being no cut or score lines in the top 12 of the cap. The tabs are shown as being equally angularly spaced, but it is obvious that some variation in the spacing of the tabs is permissible within the teaching of the invention. The removal of the three tabs 29, when the cap is to be removed, allows suihcient springing of the three flange portions of the cap for the cap to be removed manually from the bottle. Upon reapplication of the cap 3a: to the bottle, a better appearing closure is obtained compared with cap 11 of FIG. 7, as well as more complete sealing of the contents of the bottle.

The cap 4'3, shown in FIG. 9, employs two tabs 2% which are shown angularly spaced from each other in s"bstantially the same manner as in cap 11. Cap 40 has two combined cut and score lines 41, 42 extending inwardly from the bight portions of the respective tabs, as shown. In the illustrative embodiment a first, short portion of such l'ae, shown at 44, is a out completely through the metal of portion 12. The remainder of such lines are made up of scored or weakened zones 41, which may have directions similar to the cut lines 32 of cap 11, and two confronting slightly converging line portions 42 extending from the rear terminus of line portions 41.

When the tabs 29 have been removed from cap 44), the generally sector-shaped portion 45 of the cap may readily be bent up along the dotted line shown, thereby allowing the cap to be easily removed from the bottle. Cap 4i) may be reapplied to the bottle by bending it substantially into its original shape and then positioning it on the bottle, in substantially the same manner as shown in PEG. 7 in connection with cap 11.

The cap 46, shown in FIG. 10, employs three angularly spaced tabs 29. From the bight of each tab there extends a generally radially directed combined cut and score line 47. Each line 47 has a first short outer portion 49 in the form of a cut extending completely through top 12, and an inner score line 553 aligned with cut 49. The manner of removal of the cap from the bottle and of its reapplication thereto will be obvious from the discussion of previously described embodiments of the invention.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A crown cap comprising a crown portion, an annular flange depending from said crown portion and adapted to fit over the bead on the neck of a container, said flange having two inverted substantially U-shaped grooved lines located entirely in the flange and spaced apart by an angle of somewhat more than and somewhat less than around the flange, said U-shaped grooved lines extending from a big-ht at the top thereof and adjacent the upper edge of the flange, extending downwardly to points closely spaced from the free edge of the flange, and forming inverted U-shaped tear strips in the flange, the crown portion of the cap having spaced generally radial grooved lines extending to and intersecting the grooved lines in the flange substantially at the bight and midway of the ends of each of the grooved lines in the flange, the grooved lines in the crown portion and the tear strips in the flange defining a generally sector-shaped cap portion bendable out of the plane of the remainder of the cap, the grooved lines in the flange being cut through the material along the bight portions and throughout at least a substantial part of the length of the U-shaped tear strips defined thereby for insertion of a finger nail of the operator between the top of each of the tear strips and the main body of the flange.

2. A crown cap comprising a crown portion, an annular flange depending from said crown portion and adapted to fit over the bead on the neck of a container, said flange having two inverted substantially U-shaped grooved lines located entirely in the flange and spaced apart by an angle of somewhat more than 90 and somewhat less than 180 around the flange, said U-shaped grooved lines extending from a bight at the top thereof and adjacent the upper edge of the flange, extending downwardly to points closely spaced from the free edge of the flange, and forming inverted U-shaped tear strips in the flange, the remainder of the flange being ungrooved and free from tear strips, the crown portion of the cap having spaced generally radial grooved lines extending to and intersecting the grooved lines in the flange substantially at the bight and midway of the ends of each of the grooved lines in the flange, the remainder of the crown portion being ungrooved, the grooved lines in the crown portion and the tear strips in the flange defining a generally sector-shaped cap portion bendable out of the plane of the remainder of the cap, the grooved lines in the flange being cut through the material along the bight portions and throughout at least a substantial part of the length of the U-shaped tear strips defined thereby for insertion of a finger nail of the operator between the top of each of the tear strips and the main body of the flange.

3. A crown cap comprising a crown portion, an annular flange depending from said crown portion and adapted to fit over the head on the neck of a container, said flange having three inverted substantially U-shaped grooved lines located entirely in the flange and spaced substantially uniformly angularly around the flange, said U-shaped grooved lines extending from a bight at the top thereof and adjacent the upper edge of the flange, extending downwardly to points closely spaced from the free edge of the flange, and forming inverted U-shaped tear strips in the flange, the remainder of the flange being ungrooved and free from tear strips, the crown portion of the cap having spaced generally radial grooved lines extending to and intersecting the grooved lines in the flange substantially at the bight and midway of the ends of each of the grooved lines in the flange, the remainder of the crown portion being ungrooved, the grooved lines in the crown portion and the tear strips in the flange defining three generally sector-shaped cap portions bendable out of the original plane of the cap, the grooved lines in the flange being cut through the material along the bight portions and throughout at least a substantial part of the length of the U-shaped tear strips defined thereby for insertion of a finger nail of the operator between the top of each of the tear strips and the body of the flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,899,210 Ramsay Feb. 28, 1933 2,156,258 Atwood May 2, 1939 2,187,454 Hutaff Jan. 16, 1940 2,652,165 Wener Sept. 15, 1953 2,709,019 Powell May 24, 1955 2,741,388 Rubin Apr. 10, 1956 

1. A CROWN CAP COMPRISING A CROWN PORTION, AN ANNULAR FLANGE DEPENDING FROM SAID CROWN PORTION AND ADAPTED TO FIT OVER THE BEAD ON THE NECK OF A CONTAINER, SAID FLANGE HAVING TWO INVERTED SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED GROOVED LINES LOCATED ENTIRELY IN THE FLANGE AND SPACED APART BY AN ANGLE OF SOMEWHAT MORE THAN 90* AND SOMEWHAT LESS THAN 180* AROUND THE FLANGE, SAID U-SHAPED GROOVED LINES EXTENDING FROM A BIGHT AT THE TOP THEREOF AND ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FLANGE, EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO POINTS CLOSELY SPACED FROM THE FREE EDGE OF THE FLANGE, AND FORMING INVERTED U-SHAPED TEAR STRIPS IN THE FLANGE, THE CROWN PORTION OF THE CAP HAVING SPACED GENERALLY RADIAL GROOVED LINES EXTENDING TO AND INTERSECTING THE GROOVED LINES IN THE FLANGE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE BIGHT AND MIDWAY OF THE ENDS OF EACH OF THE GROOVED LINES IN THE FLANGE, THE GROOVED LINES IN THE CROWN PORTION AND THE TEAR STRIPS IN THE FLANGE DEFINING A GENERALLY SECTOR-SHAPED CAP PORTION BENDABLE OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE REMAINDER OF THE CAP, THE GROOVED LINES IN THE FLANGE BEING CUT THROUGH THE MATERIAL ALONG THE BIGHT PORTIONS AND THROUGHOUT AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE LENGTH OF THE U-SHAPED TEAR STRIPS DEFINED THEREBY FOR INSERTION OF A FINGER NAIL OF THE OPERATOR BETWEEN THE TOP OF EACH OF THE TEAR STRIPS AND THE MAIN BODY OF THE FLANGE. 